The adventures of two little dragons (Maisie and James) who keep defying the odds and changing the world, one day at a time. James suffered pProm at 12 weeks; the twins were micro-preemies born at 27 weeks weighing 1lb 11oz.

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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Our first Thanksgiving

We are celebrating our first Thanksgiving in baby quarantine mode at home, and our families are dropping off food later today so we can have a Thanksgiving feast of our own. It's the first time we've been apart from our families for this day, so it is a little bittersweet - but it's all for the sake of our little dragons.

We have so much to be thankful for this year. First and foremost, we are thankful that our babies overcame what seemed impossible, are home with us, and are thriving. I'm thankful for the hundreds if not thousands of people who made that happen... from our families and friends who have been supportive day in and day out, to the medical professionals who treated us, to the housekeeping attendants like Luz and Claudia who kept the hospitals clean.

We are thankful for purposeful and flexible employment, and for the ability to get health insurance. I'm thankful that I still have a job, though I was off for 19 weeks this year - more than is legally allowed through FMLA. I'm thankful for healthcare reform because our policy has a $2 million ANNUAL maximum versus a lifetime maximum. The old way we would have been kicked off our plan by now and because of pre-existing conditions we would be essentially uninsurable... yet making too much money to qualify for Medicaid or other assistance.

I'm thankful for our friends and family who will do whatever it takes to help the little dragons, and who understand why we can't spend the holidays with them. They've done a public service for not only our children but at-risk populations everywhere by getting the flu shot and pertussis vaccines.

Finally, we are thankful for our little dragons- they teach us so much each and every day, whether it be compassion and patience or time management and love.

Happy thanksgiving to you and your families from Erin, Jimmy, Maisie, and James.